William Wallace Atterbury was born on 31 January 1866 in New Albany, IN.

At the outbreak of World War I, Atterbury was Vice President of Operations for the Pennsylvania Railroad, and was recognized as the nation's leading authority in transportation. Upon the request of General John J. Perishing, and by the subsequent appointment of President Woodrow Wilson, Atterbury was made Director-General of Transportation for the U.S. Armed Forces in France.

In this capacity, he was commissioned as a Brigadier General in the U.S. Army in charge of construction, operation of railroads and port facilities. He reorganized the European Railroad network to create rapid movement of Allied Forces that contributed in the victory of the war.

Atterbury was released from active duty on 31 May 1919 and returned to the Pennsylvania Railroad as Vice President of Operations on 1 March 1920. He became its President on 1 October 1925. Atterbury was referred to as "The Railroad General" and remained as President of the Pennsylvania Railroad until his death.

For his military service, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the French Legion of Honor, the English Companion of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath, the Order of the White Eagle (Poland) and the Rumania Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown.

Death and Burial

William Wallace Atterbury died on 20 September 1935 from a cerebral hemorrhage / stroke, in Radnor, PA. He is buried at the Old Saint David Church Cemetery in Wayne, PA.